2003–04 Valencia CF season

During the 2003–04 Spanish football season, Valencia CF won the double of La Liga and the UEFA Cup. At the end of the season, manager Rafael Benítez left to manage English side Liverpool and was succeeded by former Chelsea, Fiorentina and Valencia manager Claudio Ranieri.

Valencia CF

2003–04 season
Manager	Rafael Benítez
Stadium	Mestalla Stadium
La Liga	1st
Copa del Rey	Quarter-finals
UEFA Cup	Winners
Top goalscorer	League: Mista (19) All: Mista (24)
Home colours Away colours

Valencia CF enjoyed a marvellous season by winning the La Liga and UEFA Cup double. The key players of the squad were Mista, Vicente Rodríguez, Francisco Rufete, David Albelda, Roberto Ayala, Fábio Aurélio, Amedeo Carboni and Mauricio Pellegrino. Valencia CF started the league well in the early season but slumped in the mid-season and later made a remarkable comeback (remontada) in April and May thanks to Real Madrid's several slips. Valencia CF were on course for their first-treble winning season, however, Valencia were eliminated by eventual Copa del Rey runners-up Real Madrid in the quarter-finals and thus denying them a season treble.

Overview

Competition	Record								Result	Top Scorer
	G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
La Liga	38	23	8	7	71	27	+44	060.53	Winners	Mista, 19
Copa del Rey	6	3	1	2	10	8	+2	050.00	Quarter-finals	Rubén Baraja, 3
UEFA Cup	13	10	2	1	20	5	+15	076.92	Winners	Mista, 5
Total	57	36	11	10	101	40	+61	063.16		Mista, 24

Squad

Squad at end of season[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  ESP Santiago Cañizares 2 DF  ARG Mauricio Pellegrino 3 DF  BRA Fábio Aurélio 4 DF  ARG Roberto Ayala 5 DF  ESP Carlos Marchena 6 MF  ESP David Albelda 7 FW  BRA Ricardo Oliveira 8 MF  ESP Rubén Baraja 10 MF  ESP Miguel Ángel Angulo 11 FW  ESP Juan Sánchez 12 DF  ESP Javier Garrido 13 GK  ESP Andrés Palop 14 MF  ESP Vicente 15 DF  ITA Amedeo Carboni 16 MF  URU Fabián Canobbio 17 DF  ESP David Navarro

No. Pos. Nation Player 18 MF  ESP Jorge López 19 MF  ESP Francisco Rufete 20 FW  ESP Mista 21 MF  ARG Pablo Aimar 23 DF  ESP Curro Torres[2] 24 MF  ESP Xisco 25 MF  MLI Mohamed Sissoko 26 MF  ESP Jaime Gavilán 28 GK  ESP David Rangel 29 FW  ESP Borja Criado 31 DF  ESP Vicente Verdejo 33 GK  ESP Jonathan 35 DF  PAR Ángel Amarilla 36 DF  FRA Jean-Félix Dorothée 38 MF  ESP César Soriano 39 DF  ESP Raúl Albiol

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 9 FW  ESP Salva Ballesta (on loan to Málaga)

No. Pos. Nation Player 22 MF  URU Gonzalo de los Santos (on loan to Atlético Madrid)

Competitions

La Liga

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Valencia (C)	38	23	8	7	71	27	+44	77	Qualification for the Champions League group stage
2	Barcelona	38	21	9	8	63	39	+24	72
3	Deportivo La Coruña	38	21	8	9	60	34	+26	71	Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round
4	Real Madrid	38	21	7	10	72	54	+18	70
5	Athletic Bilbao	38	15	11	12	53	49	+4	56	Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round

Source: LFP
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd head-to-head points; 3rd head-to-head goal difference; 4th head-to-head goals scored; 5th goal difference; 6th number of goals scored; 7th Fair-play points
(C) Champion.

Matches

All kickoff times are in CEST.   Win   Draw   Loss

30 August 2003 1	Valencia	1–1	Real Valladolid	Valencia
21:30	Aimar  76'		Sousa  20'	Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Rafael Ramírez Domínguez

2 September 2003 2	Osasuna	0–1	Valencia	Pamplona
21:30			Baraja  50'	Stadium: El Sadar Attendance: 14,195 Referee: Julián Rodríguez Santiago

14 September 2003 3	Valencia	1–0	Málaga	Valencia
19:00	Marchena  43'			Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Alfonso Pérez Burrull

20 September 2003 4	Atlético Madrid	0–3	Valencia	Madrid
21:30			Vicente  67' Mista  75', 90'	Stadium: Vicente Calderón Attendance: 53,000 Referee: Fernando Carmona Méndez

27 September 2003 5	Valencia	2–0	Real Madrid	Valencia
21:30	Mista  4' Oliveira  71'			Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 50,000 Referee: Xavier Moreno Delgado

5 October 2003 6	Barcelona	0-1	Valencia	Barcelona
21:30			Oliveira  14'	Stadium: Camp Nou Attendance: 78,019 Referee: César Muñiz Fernández

19 October 2003 7	Valencia	4–0	Espanyol	Valencia
17:30	Mista  7', 45' Baraja  44' Vicente  78'			Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo

25 October 2003 8	Deportivo La Coruña	2-1	Valencia	A Coruña
21:30	Valerón  16' Tristán  80'		Mista  73'	Stadium: Riazor Attendance: 27,500 Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco

29 October 2003 9	Valencia	2-2	Celta Vigo	Valencia
21:00	Aimar  41' Canobbio  68'		Berizzo  56' Jesuli  66'	Stadium: Mestalla Attendance: 48,000 Referee: Alfonso Pino Zamorano

2 November 2003 10	Mallorca	0–5	Valencia	Palma
			Jorge López  2' (pen.) Oliveira  7', 45', 76' Xisco  88'	Stadium: Son Moix Attendance: 21,330 Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González

9 November 2003 11	Valencia	1–2	Racing de Santander	Valencia
	Baraja  25'		Bodipo  23', 49'	Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Miguel Pérez Lasa

23 November 2003 12	Murcia	2–2	Valencia	Murcia
	Richi  38' Míchel  46'		Mista  12', 55'	Stadium: La Condomina Attendance: 12,800 Referee: Víctor Esquinas Torres

29 November 2003 13	Valencia	3–2	Real Zaragoza	Valencia
	Jorge López  19' Vicente  26' Aimar  44'		Villa  49' Cani  79'	Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Antonio Rubinos Pérez

2 December 2003 14	Real Sociedad	0–0	Valencia	San Sebastián
				Stadium: Anoeta Attendance: 22,000 Referee: Evaristo Puentes Leira

7 December 2003 15	Valencia	2–1	Athletic Bilbao	Valencia
	Vicente  17', 64'		Ezquerro  52'	Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Arturo Daudén Ibáñez

14 December 2003 16	Real Betis	0–1	Valencia	Seville
			Juanito  18' (o.g.)	Stadium: Manuel Ruiz de Lopera Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Fernando Teixeira Vitienes

20 December 2003 17	Valencia	1–0	Sevilla	Valencia
	Mista  61'			Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 47,700 Referee: José Losantos Omar

4 January 2004 18	Valencia	4–2	Villarreal	Valencia
	Baraja  60', 73' Aimar  61' Mista  87'		Riquelme  14' Belletti  77'	Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Pedro Tristante Oliva

10 January 2004 19	Albacete	0–1	Valencia	Albacete
			Jorge López  9' (pen.)	Stadium: Carlos Belmonte Attendance: 17,300 Referee: Javier Moreno Delgado

17 January 2004 20	Valladolid	0–0	Valencia	Valladolid
				Stadium: José Zorrilla Attendance: 13,200 Referee: Bernardino González Vázquez

25 January 2004 21	Valencia	0–1	Osasuna	Valencia
			Pellegrino  45' (o.g.)	Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 47,700 Referee: Carlos Megía Dávila

31 January 2004 22	Málaga	1–6	Valencia	Málaga
	Salva  73'		Mista  5' Oliveira  15', 58', 65' Marchena  48' Albelda  72'	Stadium: La Rosaleda Attendance: 21,000 Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González

7 February 2004 23	Valencia	3–0	Atlético Madrid	Valencia
	Mista  30', 71' Vicente  66'			Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Javier Turienzo Álvarez

15 February 2004 24	Real Madrid	1–1	Valencia	Madrid
	Figo  90' (pen.)		Ayala  74'	Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu Attendance: 78,000 Referee: Pedro Tristante Oliva

21 February 2004 25	Valencia	0–1	Barcelona	Valencia
			Gerard  77'	Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 53,000 Referee: Antonio Rubinos Pérez

29 February 2004 26	Espanyol	2–1	Valencia	Barcelona
	Tamudo  39', 75'		Mista  77'	Stadium: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Attendance: 18,900 Referee: Manuel Mejuto González

6 March 2004 27	Valencia	3–0	Deportivo de La Coruña	Valencia
	Vicente  22' (pen.), 90' Sánchez  90'			Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 52,000 Referee: José Pedro Mendoza Castellano

14 March 2004 28	Celta de Vigo	0–2	Valencia	Vigo
			Rufete  39', 89'	Stadium: Estadio Balaídos Attendance: 25,076 Referee: Rafael Ramírez Domínguez

21 March 2004 29	Valencia	5–1	Mallorca	Valencia
	Mista  44', 67', 68' Baraja  56' Angulo  60'		Eto'o  83' (pen.)	Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 47,700 Referee: Jesús Téllez Sánchez

28 March 2004 30	Racing de Santander	0–3	Valencia	Santander
			Díaz  8' (o.g.) Vicente  45', 75'	Stadium: El Sardinero Attendance: 13,781 Referee: César Muñiz Fernández

4 April 2004 31	Valencia	2–0	Murcia	Valencia
	Pellegrino  72' Mista  82'			Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco

11 April 2004 32	Real Zaragoza	0–1	Valencia	Zaragoza
			Angulo  69'	Stadium: La Romareda Attendance: 35,000 Referee: Alfonso Pérez Burrull

18 April 2004 33	Valencia	2–2	Real Sociedad	Valencia
	Vicente  71' Mista  86'		Alonso  65' Karpin  69' (pen.)	Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 53,000 Referee: Fernando Teixeira Vitienes

25 April 2004 34	Athletic Bilbao	1–1	Valencia	Bilbao
	del Horno  30'		Jorge López  12' (pen.)	Stadium: San Mamés Attendance: 36,000 Referee: Javier Turienzo Álvarez

2 May 2004 35	Valencia	2–0	Real Betis	Valencia
	Torres  35' Baraja  48'			Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Bernardino González Vázquez

9 May 2004 36	Sevilla	0–2	Valencia	Seville
			Vicente  11' Baraja  90'	Stadium: Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Evaristo Puentes Leira

14 May 2004 37	Villarreal	2–1	Valencia	Villarreal
	Anderson  13' Riquelme  25'		Pellegrino  35'	Stadium: El Madrigal Attendance: 11,256 Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo

23 May 2004 38	Valencia	0–1	Albacete	Valencia
			Aranda  60'	Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 50,000 Referee: Manuel Mejuto González

Copa del Rey

22 October 2003 Round of 64	CD Castellón	1–3	Valencia	Castellón de la Plana, Valencia
	Marcos  39'		Baraja  63', 81' Canobbio  86'	Stadium: Nou Estadi Castàlia Referee: Jesús Téllez Sánchez

17 December 2003 Round of 32	Valencia	2–0	Murcia	Valencia
	Xisco  12' Garrido  69'			Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Rafael Ramírez Domínguez

7 January 2004 Round of 16, First Leg	Valencia	2–2	Osasuna	Valencia
	Angulo  26' Baraja  53' (pen.)		Webó  59' Aloisi  89'	Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 23,000 Referee: Antonio Rubinos Pérez

14 January 2004 Round of 16, Second Leg	Osasuna	0–2 (2–4 agg.)	Valencia	Pamplona
			Vicente  26' Rufete  59'	Stadium: El Sadar Attendance: 14,103 Referee: Miguel Pérez Lasa

21 January 2004 Quarter-finals, First Leg	Real Madrid	3-0	Valencia	Madrid
	Raúl  31' Ronaldo  81' Figo  86' (pen.)	(Report)		Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu Attendance: 65,000 Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo

28 January 2004 Quarter-finals, Second Leg	Valencia	1–2 (1–5 agg.)	Real Madrid	Valencia
	Xisco  73'	(Report)	Raúl  14' Zidane  90'	Stadium: Mestalla Stadium Attendance: 42,000 Referee: Fernando Carmona Méndez

UEFA Cup

First round

24 September 2003	AIK	0–1	Valencia	Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm
20:30		Report	Oliveira  64'	Attendance: 25,433 Referee: Hermann Albrecht (Germany)

15 October 2003	Valencia	1–0 (2–0 agg.)	AIK	Mestalla Stadium, Valencia
21:45	Mista  71'	Report		Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Johan Verbist (Belgium)

Second round

6 November 2003	Valencia	0–0	Maccabi Haifa	Mestalla Stadium, Valencia
22:00		Report		Referee: Kenny Clark (Scotland)

11 December 2003	Maccabi Haifa	0–4 (0–4 agg.)	Valencia	Sparta Stadion, Rotterdam
20:00		Report	Mista  11' Baraja  24' Albelda  90+1' Angulo  90+2'	Referee: Eric Braamhaar (Netherlands)

Third round

26 February 2004	Valencia	3–2	Beşiktaş	Mestalla Stadium, Valencia
21:30	Sissoko  25' Canobbio  43' Navarro  90+4'	Report	Pancu  17', 39'	Referee: Alain Sars (France)

3 March 2004	Beşiktaş	0–2 (2–5 agg.)	Valencia	BJK İnönü Stadium, Istanbul
19:30		Report	Angulo  12' Juan Sánchez  57'	Referee: Domenico Messina (Italy)

Fourth round

11 March 2004	Gençlerbirliği	1–0	Valencia	Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium, Ankara
19:30	Daems  12' (pen.)	Report		Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Tom Henning Øvrebø (Norway)

25 March 2004	Valencia	2–0 (a.e.t.) (2–1 agg.)	Gençlerbirliği	Mestalla Stadium, Valencia
21:30	Mista  63' Vicente  94'	Report		Attendance: 30,000 Referee: René Temmink (Netherlands)

Quarter-final

8 April 2004	Bordeaux	1–2	Valencia	Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
19:15	Riera  18'	Report	Baraja  75' Rufete  88'	Attendance: 29,108 Referee: Mike Riley (England)

14 April 2004	Valencia	2–1 (4–2 agg.)	Bordeaux	Mestalla Stadium, Valencia
21:45	Pellegrino  52' Rufete  60'	Report	Eduardo  71'	Attendance: 32,000 Referee: Herbert Fandel (Germany)

Semi-final

22 April 2004	Villarreal	0–0	Valencia	Estadio El Madrigal, Villarreal
21:45		Report		Attendance: 23,000 Referee: Lucílio Batista (Portugal)

6 May 2004	Valencia	1–0 (1–0 agg.)	Villarreal	Mestalla Stadium, Valencia
21:45	Mista  16' (pen.)	Report		Attendance: 52,000 Referee: Terje Hauge (Norway)

Final

19 May 2004	Valencia	2–0	Marseille	Ullevi, Gothenburg
20:45 CEST	Vicente  45' (pen.) Mista  58'	Report		Attendance: 39,000 Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy)

References

1. http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/spain/2003-2004/laliga/valencia.htm
2. Torres was born in Ahlen, West Germany (now Germany).